Memory storage device carriers are used for inserting and removing hard disk drives from memory storage systems. One carrier is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,193,339 to Behl et al, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. This carrier has a cantilever locking system that is effective for locking the carrier in a rack.
Carriers protect hard drives, for example, from impact during handling. Many are equipped with handles to enable an operator to grasp the carrier without dropping it.
During operation of a memory storage system, carriers enclosing hard disk drives may vibrate and the handles may wobble. A wobbling handle may be particularly displeasing when the carrier and handle are made of metal (e.g. aluminum or steel) and the handle noisily rattles against the face of the metal carrier.
A memory storage device carrier having a locking handle includes rails and a face attached to the rails. The rails enable the carrier to slide into a memory storage device rack. The face facilitates ventilation, includes a switch for locking the carrier in the rack, various function indicators in communication with the memory storage device (e.g. hard disk drive), and a handle.
The handle attaches to the carrier. The handle moves from a first position, where the handle lies flush with the face to a second position where the handle extends from the face. Extending the handle from the face enables a user to grasp the handle and safely transport the carrier with the memory storage device.
A lock mounts between the handle and the face to selectively lock the handle in the first position. Releasing the lock allows the handle to glide between the first position into the second position.
The lock includes a housing, a resilient member and a lock surface. The housing has a threaded exterior and a hollow interior. Preferably the resilient member includes a spring, which mounts within the interior of the housing to bias the lock surface against the handle. Preferably, the face of the carrier, or a region of the carrier proximal the face, has threaded holes defined laterally with respect to the face and the lock housing threads into these laterally defined holes.
It can be appreciated, however, that the present invention can also function when the handle has laterally defined threaded holes at the ends of the handle for receiving the lock housing threads. In this way the lock housing mounts in the handle ends and the lock surface contacts the face (e.g. on lateral sides of the face) when the handle is fixed, or moves between the first and second positions.
Rotating the threaded housing into the threaded holes on the face of the carrier adjustably distances the lock surface with respect to the handle. The threaded housing enables one to adjustably bias the force of the lock surface against the handle. Preferably, the handle has two ends and the lock surfaces slide along the ends when the handle rotates and the lock surfaces lock against the ends of the handle when the handle occupies either the first or second position, respectively.
An alternative embodiment includes a biasing mechanism, such as an adjustably tensionable spring. According to this embodiment, adjusting the tension of the spring enables the lock surface to press against the handle with a desired level of variable tension without necessarily requiring movement of the housing. In this embodiment the distance between the lock housing and the handle need not change. Also, the housing can be fixed with respect to the handle. For example, according to an alternate embodiment, the housing can be press-fit or integrated in the housing so that threads are not required.
The handle includes two ends rotatably attached to the face of the carrier. The ends of the handle each include a lock plate with discrete recesses. The handle rotates between the first position, where at least one of the discrete recesses engages the lock to hold the handle, and the second position. In the second position, another of the discrete recesses engages the lock to hold the handle.